McCrory opposes state run health exchange

RALEIGH — North Carolina lawmakers are refusing to expand Medicaid for the poor, deciding to oppose a state role in the federal health care overhaul law.

Gov. Pat McCrory said Tuesday that North Carolina shouldn't expand Medicaid to cover about 500,000 uninsured people and should leave it the federal government to run an online marketplace for private health insurance.

States must tell federal officials by Friday if they will partner with Washington to run a health benefit exchange helping the uninsured find coverage.

A House committee in North Carolina approved legislation that would block Medicaid expansion even during the three years the federal government pays the whole cost. The measure passed the Senate last week.